Grado Cartridges and Stylus - Questions and Advice.

RenegadeMonster

RenegadeMonster

Now Spinning
Admin
I still have the original Grado Prestige Blue cart and stylus on my uTurn. It's been in use for about 3 years now and I'm thinking it's time to replace. No noticeable signs that it needs to be replaced, just trying to get ahead of it before it goes bad.

I remember on the old forum @HiFi Guy recommended I do an upgrade to the stylus. I believe he said to put a 8MZ stylus on it and it would sound better than a Grado Prestige Gold. Just want to make sure I remembered correctly and if this is still the best option out there.

Link to stylus below.

www.lpgear.com

Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only

Check out the deal on Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only at LP Gear
www.lpgear.com www.lpgear.com

Also, does anyone have any guides on how to replace the stylus?
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I still have the original Grado Prestige Blue cart and stylus on my uTurn. It's been in use for about 3 years now and I'm thinking it's time to replace. No noticeable signs that it needs to be replaced, just trying to get ahead of it before it goes bad.

I remember on the old forum @HiFi Guy recommended I do an upgrade to the stylus. I believe he said to put a 8MZ stylus on it and it would sound better than a Grado Prestige Gold. Just want to make sure I remembered correctly and if this is still the best option out there.

Link to stylus below.

www.lpgear.com

Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only

Check out the deal on Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only at LP Gear
www.lpgear.com www.lpgear.com

Also, does anyone have any guides on how to replace the stylus?
Click to expand...
Follow the link you posted - they have a pdf link at the bottom of the page on how to replace the stylus.
I have a grado gold with original stylus and planning on trying out the 8mz later this year. @AnthonyI and @Joe Mac have each made the upgrade. They would be a great resource on changing out the stylus as well
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I still have the original Grado Prestige Blue cart and stylus on my uTurn. It's been in use for about 3 years now and I'm thinking it's time to replace. No noticeable signs that it needs to be replaced, just trying to get ahead of it before it goes bad.

I remember on the old forum @HiFi Guy recommended I do an upgrade to the stylus. I believe he said to put a 8MZ stylus on it and it would sound better than a Grado Prestige Gold. Just want to make sure I remembered correctly and if this is still the best option out there.

Link to stylus below.

www.lpgear.com

Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only

Check out the deal on Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only at LP Gear
www.lpgear.com www.lpgear.com

Also, does anyone have any guides on how to replace the stylus?
Click to expand...

Yeah the 8mz stylus is the max upgrade for all of the Grado Prestige cartridges. I plan to put one on my gold next year when the current stylus is done.

Take a look at this video for how to switch styli.

 
RenegadeMonster said:
I still have the original Grado Prestige Blue cart and stylus on my uTurn. It's been in use for about 3 years now and I'm thinking it's time to replace. No noticeable signs that it needs to be replaced, just trying to get ahead of it before it goes bad.

I remember on the old forum @HiFi Guy recommended I do an upgrade to the stylus. I believe he said to put a 8MZ stylus on it and it would sound better than a Grado Prestige Gold. Just want to make sure I remembered correctly and if this is still the best option out there.

Link to stylus below.

www.lpgear.com

Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only

Check out the deal on Grado 8MZ stylus - For US sale only at LP Gear
www.lpgear.com www.lpgear.com

Also, does anyone have any guides on how to replace the stylus?
Click to expand...

That's the one. You can wiggle the stylus assembly out of the cartridge body- down and to the rear using the nubs where the blue dots are to get leverage. If you see any black goopy stuff in the cartridge body, do not remove it.
 
HiFi Guy said:
That's the one. You can wiggle the stylus assembly out of the cartridge body- down and to the rear using the nubs where the blue dots are to get leverage. If you see any black goopy stuff in the cartridge body, do not remove it.
Click to expand...

What would the black goopy stuff indicate? That it's been glued in place and the whole cartridge has to be replaced? What are the odds of that happening?
 
Chucktshoes said:
I think he meant not to remove the black goopy stuff from the cartridge body. It isn’t schmutz, it belongs there.
Click to expand...

Correct.

I'm buying an 8MZ soon myself. I'll be sending off my Gold2 stylus to have it rebuilt with a nude MicroLine stylus. There's a guy on eBay that does this and I know of another in Moscow that does the same.

This way you can end up with a far more advanced stylus than what Grado offers- for about the same price.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Correct.

I'm buying an 8MZ soon myself. I'll be sending off my Gold2 stylus to have it rebuilt with a nude MicroLine stylus. There's a guy on eBay that does this and I know of another in Moscow that does the same.

This way you can end up with a far more advanced stylus than what Grado offers- for about the same price.
Click to expand...
Oooh, now this sounds interesting. I’ll be awaiting the review.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Correct.

I'm buying an 8MZ soon myself. I'll be sending off my Gold2 stylus to have it rebuilt with a nude MicroLine stylus. There's a guy on eBay that does this and I know of another in Moscow that does the same.

This way you can end up with a far more advanced stylus than what Grado offers- for about the same price.
Click to expand...

I’ll be looking forward to your review of this! Moscow should be doable Post wise from here...
 
I have a Jospeh Grado Signature Model 1 cartridge that needs a new stylus. Does anyone know which modern Grado styli particularly do or do not fit this cart? I emailed Grado a couple of days ago but haven't heard back yet.

Also, I almost cleaned off the black schmutz too! What is it there for?

Thanks for any info/recommendations!
 
Bloodlemons said:
I have a Jospeh Grado Signature Model 1 cartridge that needs a new stylus. Does anyone know which modern Grado styli particularly do or do not fit this cart? I emailed Grado a couple of days ago but haven't heard back yet.

Also, I almost cleaned off the black schmutz too! What is it there for?

Thanks for any info/recommendations!
Click to expand...

Never remove the black smutz. It's there for damping.

You should have no issue using the 8MZ stylus ($150). I wonder what Grado will say though. I've read they still make the old style "twin tip" stylus, but at a cost of around $450.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Never remove the black smutz. It's there for damping.

You should have no issue using the 8MZ stylus ($150). I wonder what Grado will say though. I've read they still make the old style "twin tip" stylus, but at a cost of around $450.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input!I haven't exactly figured out what the right amount to spend is on this cartridge. I got it in a lot with something else I wanted and thought I might as well try out that somewhat-controversial "Grado Sound." Apparently, the JG Sig 1 was a big deal in its day, commanding $100 in 1978 USD (about $360 in 2019 dollars). I'm not averse to spending a little extra on my carts (currently running an AT-ART9), but I'm also not exactly looking to switch up my chain. I just recently made the move up to MC, so that whole process was a research project and capital investment all in one! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top